EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: This big boy is a real joy, whether hauling the goods or just hauling butt. I put it to work in different ways during my brief stay, first as an ice wagon toting about 300 pounds of ice to the high school concession stand, then as a nice luxury accompaniment for an evening out, and finally as a purpose-built fighter jet for the run to the airport to board a far more mundane transportation appliance.

The new ML is well-done, much more edgy than the past model, and equipped to meet every need in the market. While a serious-minded buyer would likely opt for the diesel ML350, those with serious performance in mind in their crossover utility need look no further than this ML63 AMG. What a beast.

The sound and the thrust from that 5.5-liter AMG mill is more fun here than it is in just about every other new Mercedes. It's probably the incongruity of it: “Here I am tottering along in this big, fat soft-roader, listening to NPR and I mash the throttle and Christ, I'm going 100 miles an hour.”

It's kind of like an old speedboat. When you nail it, the bow sticks up in the air for a while before it planes out, motor droning.

The brakes are more than up to the task of pulling it down from highway speeds, though aggressive applications will result in more pitching.

For what it is, it's not bad looking, and the interior is excellent.

I'm running out of time here, so I'll finish with this: I cannot for the life of me imagine who would buy an ML63 AMG, or why. But, I can say that it'd be a hell of a lot of fun to own.

SENIOR ROAD TEST EDITOR NATALIE NEFF: I concur entirely with Rory. I was almost embarrassed to admit how much fun I had in this thing until he stopped by my cube after having driven it, a big smile pasted on his face. I echoed his delight. Yes, a $110k SUV is an utterly stupid thing, but I challenge anyone to drive this and walk away grumpy.

This ML is so much fun I swear I giggled the entire time. The fact that I usually immediately forget what I've just driven -- most cars seems to blend into the last, with few making any significant impression good or bad -- only magnifies how much I loved driving it. It's not only stinking fast, it somehow manages to handle OK, too. This ML also manages to not feel heavy.

I had no real SUV-worthy needs during my time with the ML; used it simply to commute and run errands, etc. But man, my errands got done quickly! Love, love, love this thing.

ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Stupid? Unnecessary? Ridiculous? Yes, yes and, well, yes. Then again I guess you could say a $300k Ferrari isn't necessary, either. At least in a ML63 AMG you can move five people and cargo in comfort, which makes the high-horsepower Mercedes-Benz SUV at least a little practical.

But when it comes to high-dollar performance machines, people don't buy them because they make sense or because they are practical. They are bought because they just want them and there's nothing wrong with that. I feel no shame when saying I like performance SUVs like the ML63, Porsche Cayenne Turbo or Range Rover Sport Supercharged. Of course, personally I would be throwing down for a performance sedan like a BMW M5 over a thunderous SUV. But for those who have bigger families, a lot of gear to move, and are addicted to horsepower, you are lucky because there are a ton of options.

One of them is this ML63, which is very good. The twin-turbo V8 is a monster with peak torque of 560-lb-ft happening from 2,000 to 5,000 rpm. And it also sounds good, too. Not as good as the 6.2-liter naturally aspirated AMG V8, but still sinister enough to announce to the neighbors that you have returned home from soccer practice or Costco.

In the handling department, it feels downright nimble for something weighing in at nearly 4,200 pounds with a higher center of gravity. Steering is responsive and the suspension keeps thing together when you're tossing it around some. Brake performance is strong, with a respectably firm pedal feel to slow things down. Yet the ride isn't anything close to harsh, making the ML63 fine for longer trips.

As much as I like this ML63, there is another “practical” vehicle in the AMG lineup that I would rather have: the E63 wagon. I do like my sleepers.